<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>I Knew You by Iamsherlocked07</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27084235">I Knew You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iamsherlocked07/pseuds/Iamsherlocked07'>Iamsherlocked07</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The West Wing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Flashback, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 02:21:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,385</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27084235</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iamsherlocked07/pseuds/Iamsherlocked07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A cozy Saturday in the West Wing has CJ reminiscing about her past with Toby.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>C. J. Cregg/Toby Ziegler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Knew You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is nostalgic and flowery and different from what I usually write but I think it works?? I was going for a dreamlike feel. I hope you guys like it! </p><p>The title and general inspiration was, of course, Taylor Swift’s folklore album. Once the idea popped in my head I couldn’t resist.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>CJ settled into her desk chair, fueling herself with the endless pot of coffee from the bullpen. Saturday mornings in the West Wing were quiet, cozy almost. A vast difference from the usual fast paced cycle of meetings and arguments, frenzied energy and tripping over their own thoughts. She reveled in the opportunity for a few hours of quiet, the hum of vacuum cleaners and various keyboards clacking kept her company. It reminded her of the long mornings she spent in the library during graduate school. The oversized, well worn Berkeley sweatshirt she donned only added to her nostalgia. </p><p>A soft knock on her door drew her attention from the memo she was reading. Toby stood in a pair a baggy jeans and a burgundy v neck sweater. Her mouth went dry, a sudden warmth filling her chest and radiating through her. </p><p>Toby shuffled, “Just came to say hi...I’ll be here for little while working on the speech for the...” CJ stopped listening as she was transported to a night years ago when the two of them were in New York working on a gubernatorial race for some candidate she’d long forgotten the name of. It was their last campaign together before she left him for California and Emily’s List. Long before Andy, and New Hampshire primaries, and inaugurations. </p><p>CJ saw the sweater while she was out shopping for a new dress for their upcoming fundraiser. She never could resist an excuse for a new outfit. On her way out of the store, she meandered through the men’s section. Much to Toby’s annoyance, she insisted he needed to spruce up his wardrobe. Less Yankee’s hats and patterned ties. More colors and soft materials. The sweater was a perfect choice and she couldn’t help imagining how he’d look in it, clinging to his chest and outlining his features, the deep red extenuating his dark eyes. CJ bought it without even bothering to look at the price. </p><p>He was at the stove cooking when she turned the key to his tiny city apartment. </p><p>“It smells great in here,” she called, kicking off her shoes. </p><p>“I hope you’re hungry, I think I made too much,” he yelled back. </p><p>She padded into the kitchen, wrapping her arms around his middle and snuggling into his back. </p><p>“I got you something.”</p><p>“Yeah? I’m surprised you had any money left after what you probably spent on ball gowns,” he teased. CJ swatted his arm playfully. </p><p>She pulled the sweater out of the bag, holding it up for him. “What do you think?”</p><p>“It’s...colorful.”</p><p>“It’s burgundy, Toby. That’s an earth tone isn’t it?”</p><p>“Earth tone?”</p><p>“You’ll look so good in this.”</p><p>“You’re worse than my mother.”</p><p>“Honey...” CJ pouted, “would you just wear it tonight?”</p><p>He feigned frustration but couldn’t hide the way his eyes shone when he looked at her. </p><p>They spent the better part of that evening at their favorite bar shooting pool with some of the other campaign staffers. The murky lights cut the smoke hanging in the air. Their love suddenly timeless. He looked like Ernest Hemingway transported from century ago. She looked ethereal, like a movie star from black and white films. They couldn’t take their eyes off each other, pressed together balancing drinks in their hands. His hands finding her body whenever she was close enough. </p><p>The bar emptied out as the night turned to early morning hours. Their walk home was brisk, coats wrapped tightly around them to defend against the wind. She linked her arm in his, tipsy and stumbling slightly. The streetlights glowed orange against the pavement, giving the street a hazy facade. </p><p>Toby stopped walking, snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her flush against him. </p><p>“What are you doing?” she giggled. </p><p>“I can’t think straight with you next to me,” he murmured, “I don’t want to wait until we get home to kiss you.” </p><p>CJ’s body tingled in response, his lips pressing firmly against hers. He devoured her hungrily, as if he could never get enough. Toby’s hands tangled in her hair and she smoothed her palms down his torso, feeling the soft material under her fingertips. </p><p>She could never fully explain how she came to love him this deeply. Sometimes it seemed it would consume her, swallow her whole and she’d be in a free fall of passion and desire. She was captivated from the moment she met him. Instantly something within her whispered she had to know him, had to be near him. His magnetic pull on her never ceased since that moment. </p><p>Despite her youth and success, her zeal for life, and her passion for true change, a heaviness made its home in her. There were times she felt dull, exhausted, weary. As if she’d burned too bright too fast and had nothing left. All those things she hides now underneath charm and wit would bubble up and he was the one to delicately mop up her spills. He made her feel brilliant again. He knew exactly where to put the shattered pieces.  </p><p>CJ knew him with the same intensity. Knew what lingered behind his dark eyes, what ghosts roamed his apartment at night. Knew there was more to him than gruffness. She wasn’t fooled; the clouds that followed him were smoke in mirrors. </p><p>When he looked at her beneath those streetlights she knew the mark he left would be indelible. No matter where she was, Toby Ziegler would carry a piece of her. She’d never smell cigar smoke or have a sip of scotch without tasting him. An old book in her hands almost as good as him. Maybe that’s what made it easier for her to go to California, the certainty he’d find his way back to her. She just hadn’t expected a redheaded congresswoman or an oval shaped office would be part of the mix. </p><p>He was possessive his piece of her. Clung to it sometimes too tightly in the presence of others, especially his wife. When “come work for the campaign” sounded strangely like “I miss you” he knew she’d come. Not only because she loved him but because her world had grown dull, as if she was walking through a sepia fog. </p><p>“You really think I could do this?” </p><p>All he could think was, “I think you put the stars in the sky.”</p><p>She grew taller that day. Came into her power. Lorded it over him, all of the West Wing really. She had to convince them she knew how good she was. How valuable she was. She’d run twice as fast and jump twice as high. </p><p>He came to put her light on again but his wedding ring blinded the both of them. Looped like an albatross across his finger. </p><p>The streetlights illuminated a path to his bedroom that night. When she pulled the burgundy sweater over his head, he was still dressed in the sweet vulnerability she’d come to know. When he shouted her name it was like he was praying. She shook for him, reveled in his worship like she knew it was well deserved. They lay there, spent from their transaction, each having gained what they gave. </p><p>A flush blossomed across her CJ’s neck and she worried her bottom lip at the memory. Her chest ached when she remembered where she was. Who she was now. The place he occupied within her was now shaped differently, smaller maybe. CJ wondered if it was possible to miss someone you see every day. </p><p>“What?” Toby asked, eyebrows quirked. The husky quality of his voice betrayed his causal demeanor. For a moment his eyes sparkled like they did in his tiny kitchen all those years ago. </p><p>“Uh nothing I’m just...” she waved her hands dismissively. </p><p>Toby shuffled across the line they carefully toed. He inched forward, willing to give a piece of him again. </p><p>“I...uh didn’t really eat this morning. Would you...I dunno want to go out for breakfast in a little while?” Toby fumbled. </p><p>She smiled brilliantly at him. He may take up less space but his was still her favorite room in her heart.</p><p>“Yeah, that sounds nice. I’ll come get you in an hour.”</p><p>He turned to leave but stopped right before crossing the threshold. </p><p>“You were right, by the way. I needed more sweaters.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>